“The most beautiful race in the world”: Enzo Ferrari really understood competitions and when he defined the Mille Miglia in this way he perfectly summarized that spectacular mix of culture, history, technology, competition and passion of the Freccia Rossa. A difficult thing to understand today given that – fortunately – we no longer compete in the midst of crowds acting as guardrails. Yet, although the Mille Miglia has not been run since 1957, the myth endures. More alive than ever. The historical re-enactment that is taking place across Italy in recent days is proof of this.
But more than the millionaire vintage cars that parade from Brescia to Brescia passing through Rome, to make people understand what this extraordinary and crazy race was, this time something unique was created. A show event that really explains the soul of the competition. On the occasion of the first stage finish in Turin of the 42nd edition of the Mille Miglia, the MAUTO – National Automobile Museum celebrated the most beautiful race in the world with the exhibition “A journey along the Mille Miglia”. The exhibition – created in collaboration with the Mille Miglia Museum of Brescia and which can be visited in the project room of the Turin museum from today to 29 September – tells of an epic that lasted thirty years, from 1927 to 1957.
And here’s the idea: the exhibition itinerary recounts the three decades of the race, with particular attention to the most significant years: 1927, the date of the first edition, the relaunch after the war in 1947 and 1957, the year of the triumph of Taruffi and the tragic epilogue. Each of these years corresponds to a fundamental stage in the history of the Mille Miglia: Brescia, the place where it all began; Turin, symbol of post-war recovery; Rome, the stage that unites Italy from north to south and the city of Taruffi’s bitter victory.
The entire exhibition and narrative runs on three levels, each supported by a specific type of material: the behind the scenes of the race – illustrated by a wide selection of original materials displayed in the display case – which tell the story of the preparations for the race, the letters of the stables, the relationships with the organizers and the materials of the experts.
The second instead narrates the emotion of the race live, with vintage photographs and films showing the protagonists of the race, their exploits on the difficult roads of the route and the warm participation of the public.
And the third explains the popular fascination of the race in cinema: a selection of films – from the news of the Istituto Luce to the auteur cinema of Wes Anderson – which represent in a spectacular, controversial and sometimes dreamlike way a race that still today fascinates and offers food for thought.
Here, a unique route, which gives a good idea of what the unrepeatable epic of the Mille Miglia was. More than polished vintage cars can do. In fact, it is the historical testimonies of the time that give us a slice of the charm of the “most beautiful race in the world”. Testimonies that we can relive through images.
In this regard, there is something else equally spectacular: “1000miglia by Mailander” the exhibition which proposes a journey in stages – in full Red Arrow style – involving four of the main car museum centers in Italy: Museo Mille Miglia of Brescia, Nicolis Museum of Villafranca di Verona, Fratelli Cozzi Museum of Legnano and the National Automobile Museum of Turin with the Gino Macaluso Foundation. An unprecedented exhibition of photos where visitors will be able to admire some of the images in each of the 4 museum centres: we are talking about a unique selection of photographic portraits taken by the legendary photojournalist Rodolfo Mailander.
Images of the era of drivers, team managers, engineers, journalists, technicians, from Enzo Ferrari to Juan Manuel Fangio, from Stirling Moss to Alberto Ascari. A series of breathtaking photos that “Rudy” Mailander immortalized forever with his Leica. Shots of absolute value, exceptionally granted by the prestigious Revs Institute in Florida, to give life to a historical and cultural cross-section of which the 1000 Miglia is both protagonist and context.
In short, to understand the spirit of the Mille Miglia, visit these two exhibitions, don’t waste time with the parade of vintage cars.
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